In the United States, when you get your paycheck at the end of the first pay period at a new job, it's always interesting to see your net pay. Most of us expect more than we get. By the time you get your check, it has been cut up like a pizza, with several entities taking a piece of the pie. The entities that take money differ from person to person, company to company and state to state. However, almost every income earner has to pay federal income tax. Taxes in Early America Taxes have always left a sour taste in the mouth of American citizens. This national hatred for taxes dates back to the tax burden placed on the American colonies by Great Britain. Colonists were taxed for every consumer goods, from tea and tobacco to legal documents. This 'taxation without representation' led to many revolts, such as the Boston Tea Party, in which colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor rather than pay the tax on it. Although the American colonists fought for independence from British rule and British taxes, once the United States government formed, its main source of revenue was derived from placing customs and excise taxes on the same items that were taxed by Great Britain. In 1812, in an effort to support an expensive war effort, the U.S. government imposed the first sales tax, which was placed on gold, silverware, jewelry and watches. In 1817, internal taxes were terminated and the government relied on tariffs to support itself. It wasn't until 1862 that the United States imposed the first national income tax. To support the Union Army, Congress passed tax laws in both 1861 and 1862. The office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue was established by the Tax Act of 1862, which stated that the commissioner would have the power to levy and collect taxes. The office was also given the authority to seize property and income in order to enforce the tax laws. These powers remain pretty much the same today, although the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) will tell you that enforcement tactics have been toned down a bit. In 1863, the federal government collected the first income tax. This graduated tax was similar to the income tax we pay today. Those who earned $ 600 to $ 10,000 per year paid at a rate of 3 percent. A higher rate was paid by those who earned in excess of $ 10,000. A fiat-rate tax was imposed in 1867. Five years later, in 1872, the national income tax was abolished altogether. Inspired by the Populist Party's 1892 campaign, Congress passed the Income Tax Act of 1894. This act taxed 2 percent of personal income that was more than $ 4,000, which only affected the wealthiest citizens. The income tax was short-lived, .as the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down only a year after it was passed. The justices wrote that, in their opinion, the income tax was unconstitutional because it failed to abide by a Constitutional guideline. This guideline required that any tax levied directly on individuals must be levied in proportion to a state's population. In 1913, the income tax became a permanent part of the U. S. government. Congress avoided the constitutional roadblock mentioned above by passing a constitutional amendment. The 16th Amendment reads, 'The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.' Alternative: Flat Tax Or National Sales Tax Since the 16th amendment was passed in 1913, there has been no shortage of people proposing new tax systems since then. If you follow presidential campaigns, there are usually talks from some of the candidates on revising the tax system. Here's a quick look at two of these alternative tax p